The present invention relates to an operator panel for printers, particularly matrix printers, and includes indicating instruments and/or trigger elements (e.g. keys, etc. buttons) for various purposes such as turning the printer on and off, for connecting the printer to one or more data sources, for operating the paper transport, for paper end signaling, for manual stepping through lines, for positioning and threading-in the paper as well as for programming the printer in accordance with particular text requirements, printer quality, change over from high to low speed operations etc.
The above identified steps for operating a printer are exemplary only and can well be continued. Basically this will depend on the sophistication and degree of complexity of the printer and on aspects of replacing automation by semi-automation or just plain manual operation as to any of the different steps that are required for printer operation. The number of steps that can be controlled manually are to some extent limited by the interface configuration by means of which the printer is connected to a computer or any other data processing facilities, and again the degree of complexity of that computer on one hand and the degree of complexity of the print operation, on the other hand, is controlling here, including for example escapes, sequences or the like. The operator panel may also offer a indication of whether the printer is on/off, when and where paper ends, or any selectivity in its operation, and there may be an indication of whether the printer is, at this point in time, is ready to receive data.
An operator panel of the type to which the invention refers to above and constituting a point of departure for the present invention is used in the so-called MANNESMANN TALLY printer MT140. This printer includes in particular the following panel features. There are six keys i.e. the key SEL for selection operation (operational turning on/off); a test key for performing specific test run operation; two yes/no keys and to the right thereof a single line key LF, particularly, and for feeding a single sheet into the printer or pulling the sheet out again. Below that key LF is a key FF for continuous, fast paper transport, e.g. until the next format has entered the printer. Moreover, there are certain LED-s for indicating generally the state of the circuit, the selectivity, whether or not paper end has passed and so forth. The diodes are arranged one above the other and are identified accordingly also, the keys are labeled appropriately.